Frosty and festive for Fraser's first Christmas

Fact: Cliches are cliches for a reason. 

Another fact: My writing ability is rapidly decreasing.

The holidays always come and go so fast, and having a little baby to help celebrate only seemed to speed things up this year.

Snow, sleet, and freezing conditions paid a visit to our neighborhood (and continue to do so), which made cozying up inside just a little more festive. We didn't let any of these things impart cabin fever, however, and Fraser's been a champ out in the elements. 

We spent Christmas Eve with my side of the family and Christmas afternoon with Taylor's, and we shared a special birthday brunch on Christmas morning with our friends Kurt and Laura and unborn baby Bolgen. 

Then, we packed up and headed north to the winter wonderland of Spokane for New Year's. Snow as far as the eye could see blanket the Lagreid's new "yard," and aside from a snowshoe jaunt for the moms, hunting for the dads and dogs, and a midnight sled run, we didn't leave the house.

On our way home, we hit rough roads, and we decided it was best to pull off and spend the night in Hood River. Fraser's first hotel room...and Bowen's second--that spoiled doggy.

Christmas Day at Nan and Bobby's.

And then the holidays happened

No matter how hard we try to make the holiday season last, it always just speeds on by, leaving us with fat bellies, yards of tangled Christmas lights, and a completely combustable tree. 

I don't think I even took a photo at Thanksgiving, sadly. A couple days later I ran my one-and-only half-marathon of 2015 and then boarded a plane for Asia. I think that chunk of time away from the sights and sounds of the season in our home and our city put a tiny damper on my holiday spirit.

But it reignited the moment I got off the plane and walked back into our house. This was our first year of hosting Christmas dinner, something I've looked forward to my entire adult life (I am my mom's daughter, after all). We also hosted our niece Hazel for her first official sleepover, which was quite a highlight to our holidays.  

Then we packed up the car, loaded the dog, and headed north to see the Lagreids in the winter wonderland of Spokane.

 Can't seem to find the original on this...at our realtor's annual Christmas tree u-cut. I die every time I look at this.

 I was not about to let another year pass without an extra-large tree. Success.

 Getting festive.

 No lights too close to the bottom. Thanks, pets.

 Found this in the sea of photos...must have been a good day!

 Spreading Christmas cheer at work...

 Sara must have really prepped Audrey because this photo is perfection.

 Annual Christmas Eve with the whole Klar crew.

Naturally blurry attempt at getting a shot of everyone in their Christmas cracker crowns.

 Auds and Auggie in their Christmas jams.

 Christmas morning run attire.

 And then we got to host Hazel's first sleepover, which she asked to be a tradition.

 Picking up the fixin's for s'mores.

 Helping Uncle Taylor make a fire.

 Indoor s'mores.

 Her first!

 Hazel's choice for breakfast...cold cereal?!

 In love with the animals. I told her she could take the cat home with her.

 On to Spokane for New Year's!

 This is how they do New Year's Eve in Spokompton...partying it up in an extra-large garage.

 Cheers to the best friends...and to another year of Bethell-Lagreid bonding.

 Snowshoeing from their front door!

And what would a seven-hour drive home be without a pub crawl in the Columbia Gorge on the way?!

Happy 2016!